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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Edgecombe County

North Carolina · 48,900 residents · 505 sq mi
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The short version

Edgecombe County is a county of 48,900 people in North Carolina. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Median home value sits at $88,500. At a median age of 43.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 29%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 7%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
48,900
−12%since 2000
from 55,606 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
43.2
+19%since 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
505 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
48K50K53K55K57K19902000201020202024Edgecombe County
202449K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.5%(2,692)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(2,863)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.6%(3,218)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.4%(3,138)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(2,537)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.2%(5,484)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411%(5,385)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412%(5,881)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.3%(7,461)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.9%(6,298)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(2,893)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.1%(1,050)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$40,489
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,983 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$21,595
+50%since 2000
from $14,435 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
25.0%
+11.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
22.3%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade18.7%
US avg: 10%
Information12.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$88,500
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$712
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $442 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
59.0%
−5.0 ptssince 2000
from 64.1% in 2000
41.0% rent
Persons per household
2.47 people
+7%since 2009
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.2
−17%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic39.3%(21,838)
Black57.2%(31,790)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(1,554)
Asian0.1%(62)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic35.5%(17,340)
Black55.8%(27,299)
Hispanic / Latino5.5%(2,706)
Asian0.2%(112)
Other1.8%(894)
Segregation Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.9%(1,505)
Guatemalan0.6%(308)
Dominican0.5%(246)
Puerto Rican0.4%(213)
Honduran0.1%(58)
Peruvian0.1%(51)
Colombian0%(13)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(31)
Filipino0%(20)
Taiwanese0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(55)
Ancestry
American16%(8,307)
English5%(2,629)
Irish2.7%(1,399)
German1.9%(994)
West Indian0.6%(298)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(259)
French0.5%(247)
British0.5%(241)
Italian0.4%(233)
Scottish0.4%(212)
Polish0.3%(164)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.2%(118)
Haitian0.2%(81)
Serbian0.1%(53)
Jamaican0.1%(45)
Greek0.1%(41)
Lebanese0.1%(39)
Swedish0.1%(38)
Norwegian0%(26)
Guyanese0%(23)
Russian0%(15)
Welsh0%(12)
Austrian0%(10)
Slovak0%(9)
Syrian0%(4)
Czech0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.2%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
83.0%
+17.4 ptssince 2000
from 65.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
4.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 2.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.6 min
+72%since 2000
from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 79.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
9.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.9%
−6.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
55.7%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 60.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
25.2%
+5.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
Female
53.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.3% in 2009
Foreign born
2.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.1%
−8.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
79.5%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
91.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married39%(7,063)
Married46%(8,327)
Widowed4.2%(761)
Divorced10.9%(1,970)
Women 15+
Never married32.7%(7,042)
Married41.9%(9,028)
Widowed11.8%(2,550)
Divorced13.5%(2,917)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.1%
−8.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
42.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.2%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
23.3%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
30.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.0%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
54.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
48.9%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.1%(559)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)18.5%(572)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era40.8%(1,259)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War4.7%(146)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.2%(36)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,087 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Edgecombe County

Jackson County
Pop 49,629
Colquitt County
Pop 47,438
Coffee County
Pop 44,407
Jackson County
Pop 54,281
Places similar to Edgecombe County
Head to head

Compare Edgecombe County to nearby counties

EDGECOMBE COUNTY VS
Nash County
Income$62,426+54%
Home value$191,000+116%
Population99,365+102%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDGECOMBE COUNTY VS
Halifax County
Income$45,590+13%
Home value$106,200+20%
Population46,534−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDGECOMBE COUNTY VS
Wilson County
Income$56,423+39%
Home value$186,000+110%
Population81,150+65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDGECOMBE COUNTY VS
Pitt County
Income$58,188+44%
Home value$208,900+136%
Population182,936+272%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Edgecombe County, North Carolina?

Edgecombe County, North Carolina has about 48,900 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Edgecombe County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Edgecombe County, North Carolina earns about $40,489 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Edgecombe County, North Carolina expensive?

In Edgecombe County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $88,500, and the typical rent is about $712 a month.

How educated are people in Edgecombe County, North Carolina?

About 16.2% of adults age 25 and over in Edgecombe County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Edgecombe County, North Carolina?

About 22.3% of people in Edgecombe County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Edgecombe County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Edgecombe County, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 7,658 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →